The Lanzarote Business Confederation (CEL) has called for urgent measures to strengthen the island’s economic competitiveness as growing international uncertainty linked to the US and Israel’s war on Iran begins to tourism, transport, energy and inflation.
CEL president Beatriz Salazar warned that Lanzarote is especially exposed to external shocks due to its status as an outermost region and its dependence on imported goods, energy supplies and international tourism.
According to Salazar, the first signs of economic impact are already emerging in the tourism sector. Rising oil prices and increasing jet fuel costs are beginning to affect European aviation, leading some airlines to adjust capacity and raising concerns over higher ticket prices and weaker holiday bookings.
She stressed that developments in the United Kingdom and Germany, Lanzarote’s two main tourism markets, are being closely monitored. A worsening situation, she said, could reduce air connectivity with the Canary Islands and negatively impact visitor numbers and the wider local economy.
In response, the CEL is urging the Canary Islands Government and other public administrations to coordinate a preventive strategy aimed at safeguarding supply chains, maintaining transport links, limiting rising operational costs and protecting local businesses and self-employed workers.
The organisation also highlighted weakening business confidence across the region. Latest figures from the Business Confidence Indicator (ICE) show a 4.6% drop across the Canary Islands during the second quarter of 2026, while Lanzarote recorded a sharper decline of 7.3%.
Salazar said the current global climate requires “a cautious and proactive approach” at a time when confidence among businesses is deteriorating.
Beyond international instability, she noted that Lanzarote continues to face structural economic challenges including housing shortages, bureaucracy and concerns over legal certainty.
She warned that higher transport and construction material costs linked to the international situation could place additional pressure on the island’s housing market by making new developments more expensive and limiting access to housing.
The CEL president also pointed to the vulnerability of European economies heavily dependent on oil imports, particularly the UK and Germany, warning that increased volatility in energy and logistics costs could indirectly affect Lanzarote’s economy.
Finally, Salazar underlined the importance of self-employed workers and small and medium-sized businesses to the island’s economy, describing them as vital for economic diversification and employment.
She called for measures to improve access to financing, reduce administrative burdens and support business stability, saying these sectors are essential to Lanzarote’s resilience during periods of uncertainty.
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